Council Member Kevin C. Riley joins the Moodie Household to unveil “Earl Moodie’s Manner” at White Plains Highway and East 225th Road.
Courtesy of Council Member Kevin C. Riley
A Bronx nook now bears the identify of one of many borough’s most cherished cultural figures.
On Saturday, Could 24, Council Member Kevin C. Riley, in partnership with the Moodie household, hosted a avenue co-naming ceremony and Celebration of Life in honor of Earl Moodie, Sr., an internationally acclaimed reggae artist, entrepreneur, and lifelong neighborhood advocate. The nook of White Plains Highway and East 225th Road in Wakefield, the place Earl as soon as operated a retailer, was formally unveiled as “Earl Moodie’s Manner,” drawing a energetic crowd of household, mates, native leaders, and followers.
Moodie, a proud Bronx resident, was recognized for greater than his music. He was a mentor to numerous aspiring artists, a enterprise proprietor whose store grew to become a cultural landmark, and a tireless voice for unity and progress all through the Northeast Bronx and the Caribbean diaspora.
“Earl Moodie’s identify will now dwell ceaselessly on these streets—the place his ardour for music, folks, and progress got here to life,” mentioned Riley throughout the unveiling. “This avenue co-naming is greater than symbolic. It’s a celebration of a person who used rhythm, voice, and imaginative and prescient to carry folks collectively, and who by no means stopped preventing for the spirit of our neighborhood.”
Following the revealing, the neighborhood got here collectively for a vibrant block occasion stuffed with music, dancing, and heartfelt tributes. The occasion featured dwell performances and appearances from Moodie Data, Irie Jam Radio, DJ Madout, Air Drizzy Kicks, Harmony Sound, Broadway Sound, and Ashanti Nightstorm—highlighting the wealthy legacy of reggae music and the communal spirit Moodie championed.
Along with the music, civic and social service organizations together with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York and the Mosholu Preservation Company had been available to share native assets and strengthen the community of neighborhood assist that Moodie spent many years constructing.
“Moodie’s Data, the enterprise our father based, was initially positioned proper right here at this very nook,” mentioned a member of the Moodie household. “For over 30 years, it was greater than only a retailer—it was a neighborhood hub, a cultural landmark, and an area the place folks got here to attach by music and love. Having ‘Earl Moodie’s Manner’ at this precise intersection is a strong tribute to his life’s work, and we’re extremely grateful to Council Member Riley and your complete neighborhood for making this second attainable.”
The occasion not solely honored Moodie’s creative legacy, Riley mentioned, but additionally bolstered the borough’s dedication to recognizing and preserving Black and Caribbean cultural heritage within the Bronx.
